IFB launches Farm Bill Working Group

Jun 16, 2025

By Tammie Soup

Illinois Farm Bureau will solicit members to be part of a new Farm Bill Working Group charged with examining all the titles in the legislation to consider areas for improvement.

As reauthorization of the next farm bill could happen within the next year, the group will focus on the following farm bill.

“The Farm Bill Working Group will be a great opportunity for our grassroots process to succeed, with a diverse group of farmers delivering for Illinois agriculture,” IFB President Brian Duncan said. “It will allow Illinois Farm Bureau members to identify what is working and what is not working in the farm bill. The goal is to be prepared with recommendations when the next farm bill is up for re-authorization.”

The working group may provide policy submittals through IFB’s resolutions process.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.